SUNYANI TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

Vice-Chancellor of Sunyani Technical University, Ing. Prof. Kwadwo Adinkrah-Appiah has encouraged the youth to cultivate keen interest in lifelong learning, particularly in the field of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

In his view, by acquiring relevant skills, they can establish their own businesses and provide employment opportunities for other young individuals.

“Do not look forward only to the grammar type of education to eventually seek for non-existing white-color jobs. However, TVET, Engineering and Technology Education will help you gain employment faster and be successful quite easily,” he said.

Ing. Prof. Adinkrah-Appiah was speaking on the topic: “Building Self-Esteem: learning to put your best self forward” at the Jaman Youth Seminar held last Friday at the Drobo Senior High School at Drobo in the Jaman South district of the Bono region.

The seminar was organized by the Jaman Youth Foundation as part of its annual conference, which attracted about 1000 participants, mainly natives of Jaman North and South.

“I will continue to urge you all to remove your political lenses and discuss issues that will benefit your personal and community growth. The present and future of our communities largely depend on our activism and conduct as Youth of Jaman.

“Building our self-esteem and confidence would build better communities, and there is no doubt that our aspirations and personal developments will influence the success and progress of our places of living and our country Ghana at large”, he said.

He emphasized that politics has become an unavoidable aspect of our communities, but cautioned that without strong self-confidence and moral values, the youth can easily fall victim to the manipulations of unscrupulous political figures who seek to divide rather than unite communities. He urged political parties to instill good moral values in their followers, fostering positive self-esteem to prevent chaos and promote a harmonious society.

Ing. Prof. Adinkrah-Appiah described self-esteem as one's perception of oneself and emphasized its significance in shaping actions and aspirations.

He urged the youth to focus on continuous education, particularly in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), to acquire relevant skills for entrepreneurship and job creation.

He further stressed the importance of supporting needy students through education for a sustainable future.

Building self-esteem, he added, leads to understanding, love, and peace within communities. The Vice-Chancellor encouraged individuals to set realistic goals, seek mentorship, and avoid divisive attitudes, fostering a united and prosperous community.

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The Bono Regional Minister, Justina Owusu Banahene, has challenged products of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to learn to set up their businesses to help curb the rate of unemployment in the country.

She said by because students in TVET institutions acquire employable skills and professional training, they are expected to be job creators and not job seekers.

"Purpose in your heart that you can make it and become one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the country in the future and gradually, you will get there by the grace of God", she said.

The Regional Minister was addressing the 15th Congregation of the Sunyani Technical University in Sunyani over the weekend.

A total of 2,286 graduands were awarded Bachelor of Technology (B-Tech) degrees, Higher National Diploma (HND), and other non-tertiary Diploma Certificates in Engineering, TVET, Applied Science and Technology, Built Environment, and Applied Art, as well as Business and Management Studies.

Out of the graduating list, 1,499, representing 65.6%, were males, while 787, representing, 34.4% were females. In terms of distribution according to classes, 305 (13.3%) obtained First Class, 1,288 (56.3%) obtained Second Class Upper Division, 665 (29.1%) obtained Second Class Lower Division and 28 (1.3%) obtained a Pass.

Be innovative

The Regional Minister reiterated that TVET is aimed at building students to be innovative to start up their businesses to contribute significantly to the socio-economic development of this country without having to depend on the government for employment.

"As graduates of this august technical university, you are required to come out with business ideas and plans and seek the needed support that would enable you to establish your businesses. Even if you encounter challenges on your way, do not give up, keep pushing forward and tell yourself that you shall make it. In fact, that is the essence of TVET", she again said.

Staff development

In his address to Convocation, the Vice-Chancellor, Ing. Prof. Kwadwo Adinkrah-Appiah said in line with the University’s Strategic Plan, Management is currently pursuing an aggressive staff development Plan which will dramatically improve the faculty qualifications by the end of 2025.

To this end, the University is spending some Gh¢1.5 million from its IGF sources to sponsor more than 50 staff to pursue PhD degrees in both local and foreign Universities.

“Also, more scholarship opportunities are being sought by Management to assist other staff to pursue their PhD degrees in some foreign countries. The prospects are that by the end of the current Strategic Plan period, 2025, the University would have trained over 100 PhD holders to manage teaching and learning in the Lecture Halls”, the Vice-Chancellor added.

To the graduands, the VC asked them to be worthy ambassadors of the Sunyani Technical University “as you join the Alumni Association today. As an institution that has trained and made you who you are today, remember to contribute regularly, at least once a year, into the STU Endowment Fund.”

Ing. Dr. Kwame A. Boakye, Chairman, of Sunyani Technical University Council used the occasion to rally more support toward the STU Endowment Fund.

The Fund, he explained, is intended to build a platform that helps to support, sustain and extend the 55 years of progress and achievement in TVET and Engineering Education.

Some deserving students were recognised for their exceptional academic performances. The Overall Best Student Award went to Mercy Musah, who took home cash of Gh.c 1,000.00 and a citation.

The Best Engineering Student Award went to Gbeddy Delight, who took home a plaque, a laptop, a cheque for Gh.c 3,000.00 from Kasapreko Company Limited, and a cash of Gh.c 500.00 from the University.

One of the female graduands presented a portrait of the Regional Minister to her for being an inspiration to the student’s success story.

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Ing. Dr. Kwame Agyeman Boakye, Chairman of the Sunyani Technical University (STU) Governing Council, says technical universities must be deeply involved in Ghana’s drive to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the flagship programme aimed at boosting intra-African trade. In his view, since Ghana’s Technical Universities are strategically positioned throughout the country, they are the natural technology nodes for national development.

“Thus, properly oriented, they could be major promoters and catalysts for any national development thrusts such as the Government’s One District, One Factory, One Village, One Dam, One Household, One Toilet, or in general 1X1Y, as well as become a strong platform for Ghana Beyond Aid”, he said this at the 15th Congregation of STU held over the weekend.

Ing Dr Boakye stated that where there is no production, trade soon becomes empty, the capabilities of the technical universities can also be applied to help to break the African paradox of the coexistence of wealth and poverty by adding value to the variety of mineral and natural resources that abound in Ghana and across the whole continent, even beyond AfCFTA.

He said: "By doing so we will simultaneously address the challenge of Africa having the youngest population among all continents with a high percentage of talented youth, but without the capacity to optimally convert the abundant stock of energy to employable skills."

"To help the Technical Universities to successfully play their national role, we must work consciously to ensure that they are appropriately directed, resourced, supported, and managed. Among others, they require modern practical training centers and facilities in support of their mission", the STU Council chair further noted.

He also said collaboration with industry is critical as both lecturers and students need opportunities for industrial experience, adding that "workshops and conferences in science, technology, engineering, and innovation-related areas can help to update knowledge on current developments in industry relevant to academic work and equip faculty with the needed skills and knowledge to teach and ensure that students become competitive in the job market on completion of their program of study.”

According to Ing. Dr. Boakye, Technical Universities are expected to offer students the requisite practical training in specific disciplines that would mold them into resourceful innovators and entrepreneurs.

He said the education is expected to be practical and forward-looking in approach, to train students who can create jobs rather than rely on the Government for employment, and as such TVET has long been acknowledged as a vital part of human resource development and a critical tool for socio-economic development.

"Furthermore, it can be a significant driver in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as reducing poverty, expanding opportunities for lifelong learning, and creating jobs and decent work for all", he stated.

"The Technical Universities are, therefore, expected to play a major national role in promoting and leading the practical application of Science, Technology, and Engineering in Ghana. These, undoubtedly, are the critical drivers for the socio-economic development of any country and have helped to transform societies to provide significantly improved living conditions" he again said.

Thus, our Technical Universities should be in the lead to make Ghana modern and competitive on the global level. This, I view as a national duty that we at STU and the other Technical Universities must continuously rededicate ourselves to. There is no better occasion than Congregation to remind ourselves of that commitment.

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The Sunyani Technical University says it is determined to offer sponsorships to students who come up with innovations and inventions that would contribute to the socio-economic transformation of the country.

Ing. Prof. Kwadwo Adinkrah-Appiah, the Vice-Chancellor of Sunyani Technical University, who announced this said the University will offer these sponsorships through its Research and Innovation Fund.

Speaking at the 27th matriculation of the University, the Vice-Chancellor said the Students’ Support Fund, set up by the institution, is also there to support needy but brilliant students who encounter financial challenges during their course of study.

Statistics

This year, the university issued admission letters to a total of 4,934 prospective students. Out of this number, a total of 3,014 applicants, representing 61.1%, responded positively and were admitted into the University for the 2022/2023 academic year.

Out of the total enrolment, 2,181, representing 72.4%, are Males, whilst 833, representing 27.6%, are Females. The University also admitted two foreign students this year. In terms of disciplines, 2,503, representing 83%, enrolled in Science, Technology, Engineering and TVET programmes as against 511, which constitutes 17%, in the Humanities.

The total enrolment of 3,014 fresh students for this academic year shows an increase of 30.2% over last year’s figure of 2,104. The appreciable rise in student enrolment at the University this year can be attributed to a number of measures put in place by management to increase intake, including improved visibility of the University resulting from the 55th Anniversary Celebration and the introduction of new academic programmes.

This, according to the Vice-Chancellor, calls for more efforts to continuously improve and sustain visibility of the University through advertisement of its new Engineering, Science and TVET academic programmes to attract more prospective students, especially foreign students into the University.

“When patronage of such skill-oriented industry-driven programmes is improved, it would help produce more skilled and entrepreneurially inclined graduates, who can readily find jobs or set up their own businesses to help accelerate the socio-economic development of Ghana”, he emphasised.

In his view, this will also reduce the proclivity of other institutions having the opportunity to produce many graduates in the chocked sectors of the national economy in order not to worsen the existing high spate of youth unemployment in the country.

Security

The Vice-Chancellor assured the freshers that management has put in place measures to protect life and property on the University campus.

“These include the setting up of a Police Post on the University Campus to augment the existing security architecture of the University. The lighting system on campus has been enormously improved, whilst security patrols and visibility have been enhanced.

He, however, urged the students not to be careless about their personal security, saying “do not walk alone on campus during the night as that might not help your personal security.”

Discipline

Ing. Prof. Adinkrah-Appiah reminded the students of the need to exhibit high sense of purpose and diligence in pursuing their academic career to enable them to achieve the required skillsets and competences that will make them successful in the world of work.

“You are the future leaders of this country, as some of you here are going to become Lecturers, Engineers, Businessmen, Parliamentarians and even President of this country one day. You should, therefore, be serious with your studies so that you can climb the academic ladder systematically and successfully in order to achieve your future goals and ambitions”, he said.

“Notwithstanding, the university requires you, as students, to be disciplined and law-abiding. You are here to be trained not only in academic work, but also to help you form a decent character that will make you responsible citizens in future to enable you contribute positively to Ghana’s development.

He said anti-social practices such as violation of laid down rules and regulations; including examination malpractice, alcoholism, betting and sexual promiscuity would not be tolerated by Management, with Culprits of such acts being made to face the full rigors of the University's disciplinary procedures.

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